October 26, 1890, consecrated Joaquin Arcoverde de Albuquerque-Cavalcante (Cardinal 1905). Cardinal Cavalcante is the source of two lines for Bishop Burch, the Duarte-Costa line and Balland line, detailed below:

Duarte-Costa Line

On June 4, 1911, Joaquin Arcoverde de Albuquerque-Cavalcante consecrated Sebastiao Leme de Silveira Cintra, (Titular Archbishop of Pharsalus); Who on

December 8, 1924, consecrated Carlos Duarte-Costa, Bishop of Botucatu Brazil and founder of the Catholic Apostolic Church in Brazil on July 6, 1945.

Carlos Duarte-Costa consecrated Salmeo Ferraz on August 15, 1945. Ferraz was accepted by Pope John XXIII into the Roman Catholic Church without any conditional ordination and appointed Titular Bishop of Eleuterna in Crete by Pope Paul VI and attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council. He on May 29, 1951, consecrated Manoel Ceia Laranjeira; who on

The History and the Apostolic Succession of the Old Catholic Church sheds a true and unbroken succession of Bishops from our Lord Jesus Christ and His Apostles down to the present time. From the Roman Succession, the record begins with His Eminence Antonio Cardinal Barberini. It flows through Holland from France to England and then to the United States of America.

From Jesus Christ to the Apostles Peter, James, John, Andrew, Simon, Matthew, Jude, Bartholomew, Phillip, James, Thomas, and their successors, the Bishops of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church 33 A.D. to 1566 A.D.

1. St. Peter the Apostle — to 64 A.D.

2. St. Linus — 67 to 76

3. St. Anacletus — 76 to 91

4. St. Clement I — 91 to 101

5. St. Evaristus — 100 to 109

6. St. Alexander I — 109 to 116

7. St. Sixtus I — 116 to 125

8. St. Telesphorus — 125 to 136

9. St. Hyginus — 138 to 140

10. St. Pius I — 140 to 155

11. St. Anicetus — 155 to 166

12. St. Soter — 166 to 174

13. St. Eleutherius — 174 to 189

14. St. Victor I — 189 to 198

15. St. Zephyrinus — 198 to 217

16. St. Callistus I — 217 to 222

17. St. Urban I — 222 to 230

18. St. Pontian — July 21, 230 to Sept. 28, 235

19. St. Anterus — Nov. 21, 235 to Jan. 20, 236

20. St. Fabian — Jan. 10, 236 to Jan. 20, 250

21. St. Cornelius — Mar. 251 to June 253

22. St. Lucius I — June 25, 253 to March 5, 254

23. St. Stephen I — May 12, 254 to Aug. 2, 257

24. St. Sixtus II — Aug. 30, 257 to Aug. 6, 258

25. St. Dionysius — July 22, 259 to Dec. 26, 268

26. St. Felix I — Jan. 5, 269 to Dec. 30, 274

27. St. Eutychian — Jan. 4, 275 to Dec. 7, 283

28. St. Caius — Dec. 17, 283 to Apr. 25, 296

29. St. Marcellinus — June 30, 296 to Oct. 25, 304

30. St. Marcellus I — May 27, 306 to Jan. 16, 308

31. St. Eusebius — Apr. 18, 310 to Aug. 17, 310

32. St. Miltiades — July 2, 311 to Jan. 11, 314

33. St. Silvester — Jan. 31, 314 to Dec. 31, 335

34. St. Mark — Jan. 18, 336 to Oct. 7, 336

35. St. Julius I — Feb. 6, 337 to Apr. 12, 352

36. St. Liberius — May 17, 352 to Sept. 24, 366

37. St. Damasus — Oct. 1, 366 to Dec. 11, 384

38. St. Siricius — Dec. 384 to Nov. 26, 399

39. St. Anastasius I — Nov. 27, 399 to Dec. 19,401

40. St. Innocent I — Dec. 22, 401 to Mar. 12, 417

41. St. Zosimus — Mar. 18, 417 to Dec. 26, 418

42. St. Boniface I — Dec. 28, 418 to Sep. 4, 422

43. St. Celestine I — Sept. 10, 422 to July 27, 432

44. St. Sixtus III — July 31,432 to Aug. 19, 440

45. St. Leo I “The Great” — Sept. 29, 440 to Nov. 10, 461

46. St. Hilarus — Nov. 19, 461 to Feb. 29, 468

47. St. Simplicius — Mar. 3, 468 to Mar. 10, 483

48. St. Felix III — Mar. 13, 483 to Mar. 1, 492

49. St. Gelasius I — Mar. 1, 492 to Nov. 21, 496

50. Anastasius II — Nov. 24, 496 to Nov. 19, 498

51. St. Symmachus — Nov. 22, 498 to July 19, 514

52. St. Hormisdas — July 20, 514 to Aug. 6, 523

53. St. John I — Aug. 13, 523 to May 18, 526

54. St. Felix IV — July 12, 526 to Sept. 22, 530

55. Boniface II — Sept. 22, 530 to Oct. 17, 532

56. St. John II — Jan. 2, 533 to May 8, 535

57. St. Agapitus I — May 13, 535 to Apr. 22, 536

58. St. Silverius — June 1, 536 to Nov. 11, 537

59. Vigilius — Mar. 29, 537 to June 7, 555

60. Pelagius I — Apr. 16, 556 to Mar. 4, 561

61. John III — July 17, 561 to July 13, 574

62. Benedict I — June 2, 575 to July 30, 579

63. Pelagius II — Nov. 26, 579 to Feb. 7, 590

64. St. Gregory I “The Great” — Sept. 3, 590 to Mar. 12, 604

65. Sabinianus — Sept. 13, 604 to Feb. 22, 606

66. Boniface III — Feb. 19 to Nov. 12, 607

67. St. Boniface IV — Aug. 25, 608 to May 8, 615

68. St. Adeodatus I (Deusdedit) — Oct. 19, 615 to Nov. 8, 618

69. Boniface V — Dec. 23, 619 to Oct. 25, 625

70. Honorius I — Oct. 27, 625 to Oct. 12, 638

71. Severinus — May 28 to Aug. 2, 640

72. John IV — Dec. 24, 640 to Oct. 12, 642

73. Theodore I — Nov. 24, 642 to Sept. 16, 649

74. St. Martin I — July 649 to May 14, 653

75. St. Eugenius I — Aug. 10, 654 to June 2, 657

76. St. Vitalian — July 30, 657 to Jan. 27, 672

77. Adeodatus II — Apr. 11, 672 to June 17, 676

78. Donus — Nov. 2, 676 to Apr. 11, 678

79. St. Agatho — June 27, 678 to Jan. 10, 681

80. St. Leo II — Aug. 17, 682 to July 3, 683

81. St. Benedict II — June 26, 684 to May 8, 685

82. John V — July 23, 685 to Aug. 2, 686

83. Conon — Oct. 21, 686 to Sept. 21, 687

84. St. Sergius I — Dec. 15, 687 to Sept. 8, 701

85. John VI — Oct. 30, 701 to Jan. 11, 705

86. John VII — Mar. 1, 705 to Oct. 18, 707

87. Sissinius — Jan. 15 to Feb. 4, 708

88. Constantine — Mar. 25, 708 to Apr. 9, 715

89. St. Gregory II — May 19, 715 to Feb. 11, 731

90. St. Gregory III — Mar. 18, 731 to Nov. 741

91. St. Zacharias — Dec. 3, 741 to Mar. 15, 752

92. Stephen II — Mar. 26, 752 to Apr. 26, 757

93. St. Paul I — 29 May 757 to June 28, 767

94. Stephen III — Aug. 1, 768 to Jan. 24, 772

95. Adrian I — Feb. 1, 772 to Dec. 25, 795

96. St. Leo III — Dec. 26, 795 to June 12, 816

97. Stephen IV — June 22, 816 to Jan. 24, 817

98. St. Paschal I — Jan. 25, 817 to Feb. 11, 824

99. Eugenius II — Feb. 824 to Aug. 827

100. Valentine — Aug. 827 to Sept. 827

101. Gregory IV — 827 to Jan. 844

102. Sergius II — Jan. 844 to Jan. 27, 847

103. St. Leo IV –Jan. 847 to July 17, 855

104. Benedict III — July 855 to Apr. 17, 858

105. St. Nicholas I — Apr. 24, 858 to Nov. 13, 867

106. Adrian II — Dec. 14, 867 to Dec. 14, 872

107. John VIII — Dec. 14, 872 to Dec. 16, 882

108. Marinus I — Dec. 16, 882 to May 15, 884

109. St. Adrian III — May 17, 884 to Sept. 885

110. Stephen V — Sept. 885 to Sept. 14, 891

111. Formosus — Oct. 6, 891 to Apr. 4, 896

112. Boniface VI — Apr. 896 to Apr. 896

113. Stephen VI — May 896 to Aug. 897

114. Romanus — Aug. 897 to Nov. 897

115. Theodore II — Dec. 897

116. John IX — Jan. 898 to Jan. 900

117. Benedict IV — Jan. 900 to July 903

118. Leo V — July 903 to Sept. 903

119. Sergius III — Jan. 29, 904 to Apr. 14, 911

120. Anastasius III — Apr. 911 to June 913

121. Lando — July 913 to Feb. 914

122. John X — Mar. 914 to May 928

123. Leo VI — May 928 to Dec. 928

124. Stephen VII — Dec. 928 to Feb. 931

125. John XI — Feb. 931 to Dec. 935

126. Leo VII — Jan. 936 to July 13, 939

127. Stephen VIII — July 14, 939 to Oct. 942

128. Marinus II — Oct. 30, 942 to May 946

129. Agapetus II — May 10, 946 to Dec. 955

130. John XII — Dec. 16, 955 to May 14, 964

131. Leo VIII — Dec. 4, 963 to Mar. 1, 965

132. Benedict V — May 22, 964 to July 4, 966

133. John XIII — Oct. 1, 965 to Sept. 6, 972

134. Benedict VI — Jan. 19, 973 to June 974

135. Benedict VII — Oct. 974 to July 10, 983

136.John XIV — Dec. 983 to Aug. 20, 984

137. John XV — Aug. 985 to March 996

138. Gregory V — May 3, 996 to Feb. 18, 999

139. Sylvester II — Apr. 2, 999 to May 12, 1003

140. John XVII — June 1003 to Dec. 1003

141. John XVIII — Jan. 1004 to July 1009

142. Sergius IV — July 31, 1009 to May 12, 1012

143. Benedict VIII — May 18, 1012 to Apr. 9, 1024

144. John XIX — Apr. 1024 to 1032

145. Benedict IX — 1032 to 1044

146. Sylvester III — Jan. 20, 1045 to Feb. 10, 1045

147. Gregory VI — May 5, 1045 to Feb. 1046

148. Clement II — Dec. 24, 1046 to Oct. 9, 1047

149. Damasus II — July 17, 1048 to Aug. 9,1048

150. St. Leo IX — Feb. 12, 1049 to Apr. 19, 1054

151. Victor II — Apr. 16, 1055 to July 28, 1057

152. Stephen IX — Aug. 3, 1057 to Mar. 29, 1058

153. Nicholas II — Jan. 24, 1059 to July 27, 1061

154. Alexander II — Oct. 1, 1061 to Apr. 21, 1073

155. St. Gregory VII — Apr. 22, 1073 to May 25, 1085

156. Blessed Victor III — May 24, 1086 to Sept. 16, 1087

157. Blessed Urban II — Mar. 12, 1088 to July 29, 1099

158. Paschal II — Aug. 13, 1099 to Jan. 21, 1118

159. Gelasiur II — Jan. 24, 1118 to Jan. 28, 1119

160. Callistus II — Feb. 2, 1119 to Dec. 13, 1124

161. Honorius II — Dec. 21, 1124 to Feb. 13, 1130

162. Innocent II — Feb. 14, 1130 to Sept. 24, 1143

163. Celestine II — Sept. 26, 1143 to Mar. 8, 1144

164. Lucius II — Mar. 12, 1144 to Feb. 15, 1145

165. Blessed Eugenius III — Feb. 15, 1145 to July 8, 1153

166. Anastasius IV — July 12, 1153 to Dec. 3, 1154

167. Adrian IV — Dec. 4, 1154 to Sept. 1, 1159

168. Alexander III — Sept. 7, 1159 to Aug. 30, 1181

169. Lucius III — Sept. 1, 1181 to Sept. 25, 1185

170. Urban III — Nov. 25, 1185 to Oct. 20 1187

171. Gregory VIII — Oct. 21, 1187 to Dec. 17, 1187

172. Clement III — Dec. 19, 1187 to Mar. 1191

173. Celestine III — Mar. 30, 1191 to Jan. 8, 1198

174. Innocent III — Jan. 8, 1198 to July 16, 1216

175. Honorius III — July 18, 1216 to Mar. 18, 1227

176. Gregory IX — Mar. 19, 1227 to Aug. 22, 1241

177. Celestine IV — Oct. 25, 1241 to Nov. 10, 1251

178. Innocent IV — June 25, 1243 to Dec. 7, 1254

179. Alexander IV — Dec. 12, 1254 to May 25, 1261

180. Urban IV — Aug. 29, 1261 to Oct. 2, 1264

181. Clement IV — Feb. 5, 1265 to Nov. 29, 1268

182. Blessed Gregory X — Sept. 1, 1271 to Jan. 10, 1276

183. Blessed Innocent V — Jan. 21, 1276 to June 22, 1276

184. Adrian V — July 11, 1276 to Aug. 18, 1276

185. John XXI — Sept. 8, 1276 to May 20, 1277

186. Nicholas III — Nov. 25, 1277 to Aug. 22, 1280

187. Martin IV — Feb. 2, 1281 to Mar. 28, 1285

188. Honorius IV — Apr. 2, 1285 to Apr. 3, 1287

189. Nicholas IV — Feb. 22, 1288 to Apr. 4, 1292

190. St. Celestine V (resigned) — July 5, 1294 to Dec. 13, 1294

191. Boniface VIII — Dec. 24, 1294 to Oct. 11, 1303

192. Blessed Benedict XI — Oct. 22, 1303 to July 7, 1304

193. Clement V — June 5, 1305 to Apr. 20, 1314

194. John XXII — Aug. 7, 1305 to Dec. 4, 1334

195.Nicholas V — May 12, 1328 to Aug. 5, 1330

196. Benedict XII — Dec. 20, 1334 to Apr. 25, 1342

197. Clement VI — May 7, 1342 to Dec. 6, 1352

198. Innocent VI — Dec. 18, 1352 to Sept. 12, 1362

199. Blessed Urban V — Sept. 28,1362 to Dec. 19, 1370

200. Gregory XI –Dec. 30, 1370 to Mar. 26, 1378

201. Urban VI — Apr. 8, 1378 to Oct. 15, 1389

202. Boniface IX — Nov. 2, 1389 to Oct. 1, 1404

203. Innocent VII — Oct. 17, 1404 to Nov. 6, 1406

204. Gregory XII — Nov. 30, 1406 to July 4, 1415

205. Martin V — Nov. 11, 1417 to Feb. 20, 1431

206. Eugenius IV — Mar. 3, 1431 to Feb. 23, 1447

207. Nicholas V — Mar. 6, 1447 to Mar. 24, 1455

208. Callistus III — Apr. 8, 1455 to Aug. 6, 1458

209. Pius II — Aug.19, 1458 to Aug. 15, 1464

210. Paul II — Aug. 30, 1464 to July 26, 1471

211. Sixtus IV — Aug. 9, 1471 to Aug. 12, 1484

212. Innocent VIII — Aug. 29, 1484 to July 25, 1492

213. Alexander VI — Aug. 11, 1492 to Aug. 18, 1503

214. Pius III — Sept. 22, 1503 to Oct. 18, 1503

215. Julius II — Oct. 31, 1503 to Feb. 21, 1513

216. Leo X — Mar. 9, 1513 to Dec. 1, 1521

217. Adrian VI — Jan. 9, 1522 to Sept. 14, 1523

218. Clement VII — Nov. 19, 1523 to Sept. 25, 1534

219. Paul III — Oct. 13, 1534 to Nov. 10, 1549

220. Julius III — Feb. 7, 1550 to Mar. 23, 1555

221. Marcellus II — Apr. 9, 1555 to May 1, 1555

222. Paul IV — May 23, 1555 to Aug. 18, 1559

223. Pius IV — Dec. 25, 1559 to Dec. 9, 1565

224. St. Pius V — Jan. 7, 1566 to May 1, 1572

225. Gregory XIII — May 13, 1572 to Apr. 10, 1585

226. Sixtus V — Apr. 24, 1585 to Aug. 27, 1590

227. Urban VII — Sept. 15, 1590 to Sept. 27, 1590

228. Gregory XIV — Dec. 5, 1590 to Oct. 16, 1591

229. Innocent IX — Oct. 29, 1591 to Dec. 30, 1591

230. Clement VIII — Jan. 30, 1592 to Mar. 3, 1605

231. Leo XI — Apr. 1, 1605 to Apr. 27, 1605

232. Paul V — May 16, 1605 to Apr. 27, 1605

233. Gregory XV — Feb. 9, 1621 to July 8, 1623

234. Urban VIII — Aug. 6, 1623 to July 29, 1644

235. Innocent X — Sept. 15, 1644 to Jan 7, 1655

236. Alexander VII — Apr. 7, 1655 to May 22, 1667

237. ANTONIO CARDINAL BARBERINI, as Archbishop of Rheims, 1655. (Note: Cardinal Antonio Barberini is the nephew of Pope Urban VIII) He consecrated in the Church of the Sorbonne, Paris, the son of the Grand Chancellor of France,

238. CHARLEAS MAURICE LE TELLIER, succeeding as Archbishop of Rheims,

November 12, 1668. He, in turn, consecrated in the church of the Cordeliers, Pontois,

239. JAMES BENIGNE BOUSSEUT, as Bishop of Condom, September 21, 1670. He was transferred to the See of Meaux by Pope Clement X, 1671. He, in turn, consecrated in the church of Chartreuse, Paris,

240. JAMES GOYDON DE MATIGNON, Bishop of Condom, 1693, son of Count De Thoringy. He was Doyen of Lisieux and Abbey Commendantaire De St. Victor, Paris. By order of Pope Clement XI, he consecrated at Paris,

241. DOMINIC M. VARLET, as Bishop of Ascalon in partibus, and coadjutor to the Bishop of Babylon, Persia, February 12, 1719. Retiring later to Holland, he died 23 years after in the Cistercian Abbey of Rhijnwick. In response to the appeals of the Chapter of the Old Catholic Church of Utrecht, he consecrated,

242. PETER JOHN MEINDAARTX, as Archbishop of Utrecht, October 17, 1739. He had been one of several priests ordained in Ireland by Luke Fagan, Bishop of Meath, afterwards Archbishop of Dublin, with the view of sustaining independence of the ancient Church of the Netherlands, founded by St. Willibrord in the 7th century. By his consecration to the Episcopate, the succession of the Old Catholic Church in Holland has been perpetuated. He in turn consecrated,

243. JOHN VAN STIPHOUT, as Bishop of Haarlem, July 11, 1745. He, in turn, consecrated,

254. ARNOLD HARRIS MATHEW, as Regionary Old Catholic Bishop for Great Britain, April 28, 1908, at St. Gertrude’s Church, Utrecht. He was elected Archbishop in 1911. He had been ordained to the Priesthood by Archbishop Eyre, at St. Andrew’s Roman Catholic Cathedral, Glasgow, June 24, 1877. He was the great-grandson of Francis Mathew, first Earl of Landaff, of Thomastown Castle, Tipperary.

254. ARNOLD HARRIS MATHEW consecrated

255. THE PRINCE BISHOPEDE LANDAS BERGHES, on June 29, 1913. He consecrated,

256. HENRY CARMEL CARFORA, on October 4, 1916. Carfora was elected Archbishop of the United States for all Old Catholics. He consecrated,

261. IRWIN R. YOUNG, JR., on September 21, 1997. He in turn, consecrated

262. KENNETH J. MALEY, on April 15, 2001. He, in turn, consecrated

263. JAMES HARRY BURCH, on March 2, 2002.

The Russian Orthodox Line of Apostolic Succession

The Apostolic Succession of the Holy Patriarchs of Constantinople and the Holy Metropolitans of Kiev, Vladimir and Moscow which originated with the APOSTLE ANDREW the First Called Apostle to the Scythians

Metropolitan Macarius (Makarij) Michael Neveskij did consecrate Evdokim Basil Mikhailovich Meschersky as Vicar Bishop of the Diocese of Moscow on December 13th, 1903 (old style) in Moscow, Russia assisted by Bishop Innokentij of St. Petersburg, Russia.

Archbishop Evdokim Basil Mikhailovich Meschersky (Russian Orthodox Archbishop of Alaska and North America, ruling Hierarch in the Western Hemisphere for the Patriarchate of Moscow and all Russia) did on May 13 (N.S.), 1917 (April 30, O.S.) consecrate Aftimios (Abdullah) Ofiesh at the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Nicholas, New York City assisted by Bishop Stephen Alexander Dzubay of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Bishop Alexander Alexandrovich Nemolovsky, Russian Orthodox Bishop of Canada.

Metropolitan Aftimios Ofiesh, Russian Orthodox Bishop of Brooklyn, New York and head of the Syrian Greek Orthodox Catholic Mission did on September 27, 1932 consecrate Ignatius William Albert Nichols as Bishop of Washington, D.C.

Maurice D. McCormick on September 21, 1997 did consecrate Irwin R. Young

Irwin R. Young on April 15, 2001 did consecrate Kenneth J. Maley

Kenneth J. Maley on March 2, 2002 did consecrate James Harry Burch.

The Orthodox Church of the Holy See of Antioch Line of Apostolic Succession:

The Antioch Succession that led to: Mar + Paul Athanasius —

1. Peter the Apostle — 38 A.D. to 40 A.D.

2. Evodius — 40 to 43

3. Ignatius I, Martyr — 43 to 123

4. Earon — 123 to 137

5. Cornelius — 137 to 142

6. Eados — 142 to 157

7. Theophilus — 157 to 171

8. Maximinus — 171 to 179

9. Seraphim — 179 to 189

10. Asclepiades, Martyr — 189 to 201

11. Philip — 201 to 219

12. Zebinus — 219 to 237

13. Babylos, Martyr — 237 to 250

14. Fabius — 250 to 251

15. Demetrius — 251 to 257

16. Paul I — 257 to 270

17. Domnus I — 270 to 281

18. Tomotheus — 281 to 291

19. Cyrilus — 291 to 296

20. Tyrantus — 296 to 301

21. Vitalius — 301 to 318

22. Philogonius — 318 to 323

23. Eustachius — 323 to 338

24. Paulinius — 338 to 383

25. Philabinus — 383 to 386

26. Evagrinus — 386 to 416

27. Phosphorius — 416 to 418

28. Alexander — 418 to 428

29. John I — 428 to 431

30. Theodotus — 431 to 442

31. Domnus II — 442 to 449

32. Maximus — 450 to 453

33. Accacius — 454 to 457

34. Martyrius — 457 to 464

35. Peter II — 464 to 500

36. Philadius — 500 to 509

37. Severius the Great — 509 to 544

38. Sergius — 544 to 547

39. Domnus III — 547 to 560

40. Anastasius — 560 to 564

41. Gregory I — 564 to 567

42. Paul II — 567 to 571

43. Patra — 571 to 586

44. Domnus IV — 586 to 591

45. Julianus — 591 to 595

46. Athanasius I — 595 to 635

47. John II — 636 to 649

48. Theodorus I — 649 to 667

49. Severus — 668 to 684

50. Athanasius II — 684 to 687

51. Julianus II — 687 to 708

52. Elias I — 709 to 724

53. Athanasius III — 724 to 739

54. Evanius I — 740 to 756

55. Gervasius I — 759 to 790

56. Joseph — 790 to 792

57. Cyriacus — 793 to 817

58. Dionysius I — 818 to 845

59. John III — 847 to 874

60. Ignatius II — 877 to 882

61. Theodosius — 887 to 896

62. Dionysius II — 897 to 909

63. John IV — 910 to 922

64. Basilius I — 922 to 935

65. John V –936 to 953

66. Evanius II — 954 to 957

67. Dionysius III — 958 to 961

68. Abraham I — 962 to 963

69. John VI — 965 to 985

70. Athanasius IV — 987 to 1003

71. John VII — 1004 to 1031

72. Dionysius IV — 1032 to 1042

73. Theodorus II — 1042 to 1057

74. Athanasius V — 1058 to 1063

75. John VIII — 1064 to 1073

76. Basilius II — 1074 to 1076

77. Abdoone — 1076 to 1077

78. Dionysius V — 1077 to 1078

79. Evanius III — 1080 to 1082

80. Dionysius VI — 1088 to 1090

81. Athanasius VI — 1091 to 1129

82. John IX — 1131 to 1139

83. Athanasius VII — 1139 to 1166

84. Michael I (The Great) — 1167 to 1200

85. Athanasius VIII –1200 to 1207

86. Michael II — 1207 to 1208

87. John X — 1208 to 1220

88. Ignatius III — 1223 to 1252

89. Dionysius VII — 1253 to 1253

90. John XI — 1253 to 1263

91. Ignatius IV — 1264 to 1283

92. Philanus — 1283 to 1292

93. Ignatius Beruhid — 1293 to 1333

94. Ignatius Ismael — 1333 to 1366

95. Ignatius Basilius III — 1366 to 1382

96. Ignatius Abraham II –1382 to 1412

97. Ignatius Basilius IV — 1412 to 1415

98. Ignatius Behanan I — 1415 to 1455

99. Ignatius Kalojih — 1455 to 1483

100. Ignatius John XII — 1483 to 1492

101. Ignatius Noah — 1492 to 1508

102. Ignatius Jesus I — 1509 to 1510

103. Ignatius Jacob I — 1510 to 1519

104. Ignatius David I — 1519 to 1520

105. Ignatius Abdullah — 1520 to 1557

106. Ignatius Neamathalak — 1557 to 1576

107. Ignatius David II — 1576 to 1591

108. Ignatius Philathus — 1591 to 1597

109. Ignatius Abdullah II — 1597 to 1598

110. Ignatius Cadhai — 1598 to 1639

111. Ignatius Simeon — 1640 to 1653

112. Ignatius Jesus II — 1653 to 1661

113. Ignatius Amessiah — 1661 to 1686

114. Ignatius Cabeed — 1686 to 1687

115. Ignatius Gervasius II — 1687 to 1708

116. Ignatius Isaac — 1708 to 1721

117. Ignatius Siccarablak — 1722 to 1745

118. Ignatius Gervasius III — 1746 to 1768

119. Ignatius Gervasius IV — 1768 to 1781

120. Ignatius Mathias — 1781 to 1809

121. Ignatius Behanan II — 1810 to 1817

122. Ignatius Jonas — 1817 to 1818

123. Ignatius Gervasius V — 1818 to 1837

124. Ignatius Elias II — 1839 to 1847

125. Ignatius Jacob II — 1847 to 1871

126. Ignatius Peter III — 1872 to 1894

At this point the succession Bishop Burch’s succession is through two lines. One is through Mar Paul Athanasius, bishop of Kottayam in Malabar by Ignatius Peter III. The other line is through Mar Ignatius Julius I (Antonio Francisco-Xavier Alverez). It is from these branches of the Jacobite Orthodox Succession that Bishop Burch also derives orders and Apostolic Succession.

Athanasius Line

IGNATIUS PETER III, passed succession to

127. Mar Paul ATHANASIUS, Bishop of Kottayam in Malabar in 1877. From this branch of the Jacobite Orthodox Succession, Paul Athanasius consecrated,

136. IRWIN R. YOUNG, JR., on September 21, 1997. He in turn, consecrated,

137. KENNETH J. MALEY on April 15, 2001. He, in turn, consecrated,

138. JAMES HARRY BURCH on March 2, 2002.

Ignatius Julius Line

126. Patriarch Ignatius Peter III consecrated in 1888,

127. Mar Julius (Alvarez), who on May 29, 1892 consecrated

128. Joseph Rene Vilatte, who in 1915 consecrated

129. Frederick E. Lloyd, who in 1923 consecrated

130. Samuel Gregory Lines who in 1928 consecrated

131. J. A. Boyle who in 1940 consecrated

132. Lowell Paul Wadle, who in 1957 consecrated

133. Herman Adrian Spruit who in 1988 consecrated

134. Paul Michael Clemens who on July 14, 1991 consecrated

135. Joseph Philip Sousa who on Oct. 10, 1993 consecrated

136. Willibrord Van Campent who on Nov. 14, 1993 consecrated

137. Carl Thomas Swaringim who on Feb. 3, 1996 consecrated

138. Maurice M. McCormick who on Sept. 21, 1997 consecrated

139. Irwin Young, who on April 15, 2001 consecrated

140. Kenneth J. Maley, who on March 2, 2002 consecrated

141. James Harry Burch.

Alternate Vilatte Succession:

Mar Ignatius Peter III (Patriarch of Antioch, Syria) was consecrated in 1872. He

consecrated as his legate in Malabar July 29, 1889

127. Mar Julius I (Alvarez, Abp. of Ceylon, Goa and India), who on May 29, 1892 consecrated

128. Joseph Rene Vilatte (Mar Timotheos Abp. of North America), who on June 6, 1900 consecrated

129. Paolo Miraglia Gulotti (bishop of Piacenza), who on June 14, 1911 consecrated

130. Carmel Henry Carfora, who on June 17, 1945 consecrated

131. Earl Anglin James, who on Dec. 25, 1950 consecrated

132. Grant Timothy Billet, who on Oct. 23, 1979 consecrated

133. Maurice McCormick, who on Sept. 21, 1997 consecrated

134. Irwin Young, who on April 15, 2001 consecrated

135. Kenneth J. Maley, who on March 2, 2002 consecrated

136. James Harry Burch.

Utrecht Succession:

Barberini

Le Tellier

Matignon

Varlet

Meindaert

Siphout

van Nieuwenhuizen

Broekman

van Huyen

deJong

van Os

Bon

van Santen

Heijkamp

Rinkel

Gul

Mathew

Wiloughby

Wedgwood

Cooper

Hampton

Spruit

Clemens

Sousa

van Campent

Donovan

Swaringim

McCormick

Young

Maley

Burch

Alternate Utrecht Succession:

starting above at Mathew

Le Duc de Landas Berghes (Prince Rudolphe de Gramant Hamilton de

Brabant)

Carfora

James

Billet

Parr

McCormick

Young

Maley

Burch

Contemporary Historical Example:

The Roman Catholic hierarchy in the United States resisted the promotion of Polish priests to the episcopacy until some Polish Catholic communities in various parts of the country sought the assistance of the Old Catholic Church of Utrecht in Holland and Francis Hodur was consecrated a bishop in 1907 by the Union of Old Catholics. This effectively gave birth to the Polish National Catholic Church in the United States. Bishop Hodur was, of course, excommunicated. In 1992 Pope John Paul II sent Edward Cardinal Cassidy, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, to that Church based in Scranton, PA to discuss reunion. Today in Roman Catholic churches across the USA missalettes announce that Polish National Catholics are welcome to receive Holy Communion as a result of Vatican II since it has a valid, apostolic priesthood.

THE CONSTITUTION OF THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF ONE SPIRIT

Organizational Structure (Bylaws)

I. Communities

“Communities” are not limited to small communities of faith which gather periodically for spiritual sustenance, encouragement, growth and Eucharist – though this is an ideal. There are also Communities of special interest, studies or activities, such as hospices, chaplaincies, education, pastoral outreach, existing membership groups, etc.

The Call to be Servant within any of our diocesan ordained ministries, must always be heard in relation to what is said by all the members of that person’s Community or Diocese.

Nothing will limit the positive personal decisions of each member, made under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, even though at times these need to be discerned also by the person’s Community and/or his/her Priest or Bishop, adding their assistance.

Our members must not criticize other members of their communities, other Communities, those who serve in ordained roles, or other Churches, dioceses, rites or Religions.

The members of our Communities are free to assist and participate in, or be members of, other Churches, dioceses, rites and Religious Celebrations, as long as those other entities are not in direct and material conflict with our diocese’s perspective and purpose. Our Diocese is ecumenical to its core because that is the way God made the world.

II. Minister/Servants to the Communities

There are many gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom; to another the expression of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit; to another mighty deeds; to another prophecy or preaching; to another discernment of spirits; to another varieties of communication skills; to another empathetic understanding of differences. But one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing them individually to each person as she wishes. As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ.

– I Cor. 12:4-12

Within the Church, and consequently in the Diocese of One Spirit, ministerial Calls exist for the service of the people in or through various communities, and not to impose authority over others.

Our purpose is not to establish a hierarchy in which one ministry is seen as having more power than another and in which a “top-down” mentality prevails. Rather, we follow the inspiration and practice of the early Christian Church and recognize the development of various ministries for the service they bring to the needs of the members and of the world at large. The ideal is service and dialogue among all members, at all times, and in all places.

For this reason, all the designations for all the Callings in our Diocese will quietly have the technical designation “Servant” as part of their titles, so that all, especially those who are the ministers, can remember this. However, shortened versions of those titles will usually be used.

“You know that in the world the recognized rulers lord it over their subjects, and their great men make them feel the weight of authority. This is not the way with you; among you, whoever wants to be great must be your servant, and whoever wants to be the first must be the willing slave of all.” (Mark 10:42-43)

Anyone is welcome to express the belief that he/she has a particular Call to be a Minister/Servant. There is no restriction for anyone who has received a Call to be a Servant, due to gender, race, physical challenges, age, sexual orientation, or other differences, although generally Priests will be at least 25 years old and Bishops 40.

There are six different Callings recognized in our Diocese: Baptized Christian, Deacon, Community Priest, Diocesan Priest, Bishop, and Coordinating Bishop. Generally each Call to a particular service needs to have already served in the preceding, either within or out of the Diocese, for a sufficient time to mature. We always emphasize that the only real prerequisite for each Call is that it come from the Holy Spirit, and be recognized by those who elect or receive those for ordination.

We have no objections to individual deacons or deacons being members of other churches or religions as well as of the Catholic Diocese of One Spirit. As long as a ministerial member of the diocese is in harmony with the thrust and general theology of the diocese, that would not mean that that person could not also be in alignment with other philosophical or theological perspectives as well. (By way of example, just because someone is a member of the bowling team does not preclude that person from joining the baseball team as well.)

III. Human Talents/ Christian (Ministerial) Roles

Our ordained ministers (deacons, priests and bishops) are Preachers / Teachers / Spiritual Coaches. We are only “Alter Christus” or “Mediators of Christ” or souls “indelibly marked” in as much as EVERY human being is such. Our message and reach is to ALL God’s people as they come to us, everyone, not just Christians or members of our particular ecclesiastical organization. Our goal is to effectively help bring the liberating and joyful message of Jesus to others: “how this life and this universe works; how we are internally aligned with the way God ordered the world, and now is our continuous chance to choose to be in resonance.”

A. Servant/Christians

To be a “Christian” is the highest calling in the Diocese, because it is the inspiration to follow the life and teachings of Jesus, not out of necessity of being in Jesus’ fold as an end goal, but rather to align ourselves with Divinity Within as he did, and in that way to achieve perfect happiness, personal joy. Out of this general, great calling, the other functions of Deacon, Priest and Bishop are set as servants to all God’s people – both those within the Diocese, as well as those outside the Diocese, Christians or not. In the Church the baptized Christian Person has the most important position.

As to the gifts of the Spirit, some of which are suggested in the Acts of the Apostles, no Calling is more important than another. This was shown by Jesus washing the feet of the Apostles. Each Calling is equally important in the eyes of Jesus. We too choose this same belief and practice among ourselves. Neither pride nor jealousy was part of the life of Jesus.

We strive to always remember that we are all a priestly people. Everyone in our Church is called to follow Jesus equally. Non-ordained Christian people often follow Jesus in a profound way because they follow Him in lives which are very real, immersed in the world given us by God. The ordained members of the Diocese must always remember that they are Servants of the Christian people in their communities, following the example of Jesus.

Other than our ordained members, we do not know and will never know how many “members” our diocese has, because we are purposely not structured like the classic “churches” or the Roman model of Catholicism. Those who presently resonate with this message we preach (preaching in any of its myriad forms) can legitimately call themselves “members of the Catholic Diocese of One Spirit” or “Contemporary Catholics” – even while being members of other religions or denominations or while being humanists, and even while espousing a myriad of spiritual beliefs or customs. There are no file cabinets in heaven, as there are too often here on earth, to split people into their separate categories of exclusion. Like the earliest church, our Kindred Spirits (“members”?) wish to follow the original Jesus, not necessarily as he has been added on to over the centuries. We would hope that people who adhere to our spiritual perspective would be recognized because they love others and have joy in their lives. They would not be recognized by an adherence to a magisterium, to doctrines, creeds or dogmas – which were of only minor importance to the original followers of Jesus.

B. Servant Deacons

Following the teaching of the Acts of the Apostles, all Deacons are called to serve their Communities and assure that all are being ministered to. In our Diocese, the diaconate has the same position as in the Acts of the Apostles, that is, a service to the Community. The Deaconate is not necessarily a step to priesthood.

There may be as many Deacons in a Community as the Community deems necessary. The Deacons generally are elected by the Community after praying to the Holy Spirit for Inspiration. Following the practice of the Apostolic Church, anyone moved by the Spirit, who has the permission of the Community, may preach during the Eucharists.

The Community, in union with their Priest, may remove a Deacon from his/her functioning Call for grave reasons.

C. Servant/Community Priests

Community Priests are generally elected by the Community, or they are selected by the Bishop for evangelization/marketing service in specific fields, and they are presented to their Bishop for ordination. All the decisions concerning ordinations are made by the Bishop, often after the election by candidate’s Community, and after prayers to obtain the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Since our most important Ministries are to preach and to heal the broken (and – as an integral part of that process – to heal our own brokenness), all our Priests must be able to demonstrate these gifts. However, we will always attempt to be gentle and non-judgmental – remembering St. John Vianey, who was deemed too dumb to hear confessions … and people flocked to his box. In like manner, we acknowledge that God gives the call, not us.

Community Priests – elected to celebrate the Eucharist for their Small Communities of Faith or for their specific field of ministry – do not need as much study as Diocesan Priests, but they need the approbation of their Bishop to be ordained. In this way there will hopefully always be a Community Priest to celebrate the Eucharist when the Community gathers. A Bishop may ordain a Priest who has not been elected by the Community for specific ministerial work not associated with Small Communities of Faith.

All the Priests of a diocese will gather for prayer and fraternity at least one time each year with their Bishop (this refers to smaller groups gathering with their mentoring bishop, not necessarily the entire diocese gathering with the Coordinating Bishop). All the members of all the Communities generally will be called by their first names, including the Deacons, Priests and Bishops. Any member of any Community is free to approach any Community or Diocesan Priest – as a representative of all the People of God – for what used to be called “confession,” which is more closely appreciated now as a rededication / a reconciliation / a commitment to start over fresh.

D. Servant Priests

Priests may be elected by the Community and presented to their Bishop for ordination, or they are selected by the Bishop for evangelization/marketing service in specific fields, Decisions concerning ordinations are made by the Bishop, often after the election by candidate’s Community. Since our most important Ministries are to preach and to heal the broken (and – as an integral part of that process – to heal our own brokenness), all our Priests must be able to demonstrate these gifts. However, we will always attempt to be gentle and non-judgmental – remembering St. John Vianey, who was deemed too dumb to hear confessions (a ritual of his day) … and people flocked to his confessional box. In like manner, we acknowledge that God gives the call, not us.

Priests – elected to celebrate the Eucharist for various Communities of Faith, and for their specific fields of ministry – require a degree of study which will mark them as Diocesan Priests able to communicate effectively with a wider range of people, and on a par with their peers.

They also need the approbation of their Bishop to be ordained. A Diocesan Priest who meets the qualifications of Bishop will often be ordained a bishop, but only after at least three years as a Diocesan Priest.

All the Diocesan Priests of a diocese will gather for discussion, prayer and fraternity at least one time each year with their Bishop. All the members of all the Communities generally will be called by their first names, including the Deacons, Priests and Bishops. Any member of any Community is free to approach any Community or Diocesan Priest – as a representative of all the People of God – for what used to be called “confession,” which is more appreciated now as a rededication / a reconciliation / a commitment to start over fresh.

E. Servant/Bishops

A Diocesan Priest must be presented to the Coordinating Bishop by any Bishop in the Diocese in order to be considered as a candidate for ordination to the episcopacy. The Coordinating Bishop will make that decision in his/her sole discretion, after prayer to the Holy Spirit. If the Coordinating Bishop declines to ordain a Diocesan Priest a Bishop within the Diocese, the Coordinating Bishop may be overridden by a 60% vote of all the Bishops of the Diocese. Any Bishop may call for a vote of all the Bishops, and that Bishop shall communicate to the other Bishops why he/she feels the individual should be ordained a Bishop. Votes may be by email and shall be emailed to both the Bishop asking for the vote and to the Coordinating Bishop at the same time.

There will be Diocesan Priests who do not wish to be ordained Bishop, because they do not choose to engage in all the activities of a Bishop. This could be for any number of reasons, including health, retirement, job-related time or other obligations, etc.

A Bishop in the Catholic Diocese of One Spirit is a mentoring focus of a specific ministry or of a group of Small Communities of Faith, a hub of a concentric circle of spiritual influence, influencing and serving the rippling effects of his/her ministry, and is always called to ask for the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Bishops have, among others, the following responsibilities:

To discern, under the Holy Spirit, concerning the approbation of the callings to be Priests, and to celebrate their ordinations.

To direct the administration of his/her specific ministry with other deacons and priests in that sphere of ministry, and to help in the guidance of the Diocese under the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

To make all necessary decisions for the highest good of his/her ministry, and the people in it.

To orient all the ministers and Communities concerning what Jesus and the Apostles, and our Tradition say, under the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

To celebrate and animate the liturgies in his/her ministry.

Bishops will refer to the Coordinating Bishop of the Diocese, the names of the candidates presented by themselves or by the Priests within their specific ministries for the calling to be Bishop. Only the Coordinating Bishop, after consultation with the other Bishops of the Diocese, and after prayer for the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, may name the Bishops, but he/she does so within the consensus of the bishops’ judgment.

Generally new Bishops will be named directly by the Coordinating Bishop, for new areas of ministry. All the Bishops must listen to the advice of their respective counselors before making any major decision. The counselors must always give their counsel based on what the Holy Spirit speaks to them, always seeking to be conduits for good.

When a Bishop of a specific ministry retires from active service, dies, or is removed by the Coordinating Bishop, the new Bishop for that ministry will be elected by all the Priests and Deacons within that ministry.

Whenever possible, although it is not obligatory, there will be three Bishops who ordain a Bishop, following the ancient custom. Deacons, Priests and Bishops all receive their faculties to exercise their Calling from their ordination. Priests and Bishops also receive their Call through and from their Communities.

F. The Coordinating Bishop

The Coordinating Bishop will be elected by all the Bishops and the diocesan priests of the Diocese. Generally, to be elected Coordinating Bishop, one needs to have exercised the ministry of Bishop within the Diocese for at least two years.

The functions of the Coordinating Bishop, among others, are:

To have as his/her first Calling, to listen to the Holy Spirit about all aspects of the Mission and concerns of our Diocese, and to see that all the other Servant/Ministers have this same approach.

To call a Council every two years of all the Bishops, Priests and Deacons, and all the others who may wish to attend as advisors.

To represent the Diocese before governments, societies, and other spiritual/religious communities.

To foster the unity of the Church, of the Diocese and of the Bishops within our Diocese in particular.

To make the final decision, after prayer for the Inspiration of Holy Spirit, when no consensus could be reached in the previous levels. Decisions that cannot be made on a given level are always referred to the next level until a consensus decision can be reached.

To make the final decision concerning any removal of a Bishop. In grave and urgent cases the Coordinating Bishop may remover a Bishop directly with the council of his/her advisors.

To make the necessary decisions for the good of the Diocese, after consulting with the other Bishops of the Diocese on important matters.

To begin and respond to initiatives with other branches of the Universal Catholic Church, and have ecumenical relations with all other Churches and Religions.

The Coordinating Bishop will be elected at every other two year Diocesan general meeting, and will serve for the subsequent four years. He/she will be installed at the end of the meeting which elects him/her. The records of the Diocese will transfer to each new Coordinating Bishop from the previous Coordinating Bishop. The Coordinating Bishop lives wherever he/she wishes, and there is no geographic location for the headquarters of the Diocese. Should the Diocese in the future acquire a headquarters, the Coordinating Bishop will not be required to live there or nearby, but may if he/she wishes.

IV. Advice and Participation

Each level of the Diocese will seek the counsel of its members, so that the Spirit of collegiality can represent the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit. There are no requirements of a quorum, although generally two or three, depending on the level, ought to be present. It is presumed that, should a quorum not be present, everyone would have been properly notified and included in the opportunity to make decisions. Such advisors are not there to direct, but to aid the Priests, the Bishops, and the Coordinating Bishop in their discernment. We decide by consensus rather than by majority or plurality. Consensus, of course, does not mean universal approval, but rather a sense that this is the generally preferred course of the members of the Diocese.

V. Reports

At the end of each calendar year all the Bishops must send a report of what has happened in their ministry to the Coordinating Bishop. Likewise, each priest must send such a report to his/her bishop, and each deacon must send such a report to his/her priest. If they fail twice in this, without an acceptable explanation, they will be automatically suspended from their calling.

Every four years each Bishop must visit the Coordinating Bishop, to give a report on his/her Mission. This can take place by the Bishop attending the Council held every second year.

VI. The Diocesan Structure

The general structure of the Diocese is:

Christians – the Body of the Church, the Body of Christ, whom all ordained ministers serve

Deacons

Communities, headed by a Community Priest or by a Diocesan Priest

Diocesan Priests – priests not engaged in full-time ministry

Ministries – headed by a Bishop(s), who mentors Small Communities of Faith and/or specific ministries and the priests within those Small Communities of Faith or specific ministries

Coordinating Bishop – who administers the Diocese and synchronizes the good work of the other Bishops

At the death or resignation or removal of any Bishop, those within that ministry are charged with electing the successor. They will gather as soon as possible to elect that successor. Generally, in the case of resignation, a short period will precede the date, so that the successor may be elected before the date of the resignation, to maintain a smooth transition.

In case of the death or resignation or removal of the Coordinating Bishop, there will be a gathering of all the Bishops, for the single purpose of electing a new Coordinating Bishop. This may be done by email, and will be administered by the Bishop with the most seniority as a Bishop within the Diocese, unless he/she declines, in which case the election will be handled by the Bishop next in line with seniority within the Diocese.

The Diocese has a record of ordinations.

Selection and Removal of Ordained Persons

Each election for Coordinating Bishop will require sixty percent (60%) percent majority, unless, after four votes, no new Coordinating Bishop has been selected, in which case the subsequent votes will require a 50% majority to elect a new Coordinating Bishop. If after generally seven attempts there is no consensus as above, the person for that office will be chosen by casting lots among the candidates who received at least thirty percent of the votes, as was done in the Acts of the Apostles 1: 26.

The process for removal of an ordained minister – from Deacon to Coordinating Bishop – will follow the same procedure as that for an election, as above. An ordained minister may be removed for substantial cause (in the sole discretion of those empowered to do so) by the community, ministry, bishop or bishops together, in the case of considering the removal of the Coordinating Bishop. Any minister so removed is immediately relieved of his/her duties and privileges.

Within our collegial decision-making, the different opinions will be presented by someone who represents that point of view. Nothing critical will be said about anyone, any suggestion or any proposal, although the objective facts may obviously be presented. Then, as mentioned previously, all the decisions will be made by consensus. (“The Holy Spirit is not a Spirit of confusion” – 1 Cor. 14, 33.) If a consensus cannot be reached, the decision may be postponed temporarily, but never more than three days. If after a reasonable time, but never more than three days, no decision can be made, the matter will be sent to the next level for resolution. Any difficulty which cannot be resolved in a Community, Mentoring Bishop, or Diocese shall be sent to the next level.

History of Ordination within the Catholic Church

The Diocese recognizes that ordination is never mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles and that its evolution means that its use has changed over the centuries. For a more thorough description of how ordination might be legitimately viewed today, please see the section “About the Priesthood.”

VII. Affiliated Dioceses

Affiliated Dioceses or groups have complete and absolute autonomy and are simply united to the Catholic Diocese of One Spirit spiritually and ecumenically. They are totally independent legally, physically and financially, and they may not claim to be a part of the Catholic Diocese of One Spirit. As such they do not become a diocese within our Diocese, but simply a Diocese with a spiritual and ecumenical relationship with our Diocese.

VIII. Finances

At the time of this writing, the Diocese has no finances and no checkbook. It is anticipated that it will have those in the future, and policies may be adapted by the Coordinating Bishop as will facilitate the ease of administration. Three signatures should appear on bank records as being able to each sign checks, one of which will always be the Coordinating Bishop, who will keep the check book in his/her possession. The financial records of the Diocese will always be open during reasonable business hours to any member of the Diocese who wishes to see them, but they will be kept at the house or office of the Coordinating Bishop and not maintained elsewhere.

IX. Rights and Responsibilities

Each member of the Diocese has the right to be loved and respected, as was shown by Jesus. Each member, and especially each Servant/Minister, has the responsibility to exercise his/her Calling under this same teaching.

Any member of the Community or any ordained minister who seems to have done anything materially not in keeping with the teachings of the New Testament and/or outside of the Inspiration of Holy Spirit will be treated lovingly by his/her Mentor. If the problem or scandal cannot be immediately resolved, the ordained minister may be removed from his/her position as described above in Section VI.

We always see the removing of a Servant/Minister as temporary and any Deacon, Priest, or Bishop so removed may be returned to his/her ministry at any time when it is evident to his/her mentor that the problems that caused the suspension have been rectified. During this time of suspension, and after the return of the person, if appropriate, the person will always be treated with the same love that Jesus would give.

The Coordinating Bishop may be suspended or removed from his/her office only with the plurality consensus of 60% of the bishops.

X. Formation

Our formation candidates generally will be trained near their home and in a Mentor Model. The formation program will be simple, since the basic requirement for diaconate and priesthood is the Call of the Holy Spirit. Nevertheless, each formation candidate may choose any type of educational training he/she wants, after praying for discernment and consulting with his/her Community and Bishop. Generally the formation candidates will pay their own costs of formation, or with the help of his/her Community, at that community’s discretion. The Diocese offers its own formation program, administered by the Director of Formation. The Director of Formation will determine if a course of study requested by the applicant will suffice in place of the formation program offered by the Diocese.

Any formation candidate will receive a formation related to the Community in which he/she will exercise his/her ministry, always taking into account the customs of each culture. Formation will be near individuals’ homes. In this manner they will not have to leave their culture to enter our Church.

The formation program will be put forth by the Coordinating Bishop and administered by the Formation Director. Any substantive changes to the formation program will be presented to the diocese by the Coordinating Bishop in order to achieve a consensus.

XI. Admission to the Diocese

Ministry is God’s work, the call of the Holy Spirit Within. It would, therefore, be completely inappropriate to begin the process of how an individual becomes graced through ordination within this Catholic Diocese of One Spirit by first setting up all the hurdles to be passed in order to be accepted by us. Rather, the proper perspective invites us to ask of the individual what call he/she feels, how it is known to be true, and what that individual has done with that call to date … what activities, works, studies, or deeds of charity that call has set loose within the individual. Ordination within the Catholic Diocese of One Spirit is an acknowledgment, an acclamation, an honoring of an already-existing call of the Spirit.

Once that has been explained to our Discernment Group, someone from that group, plus the individual seeking to have his/her Call honored by ordination and/or acceptance into the Diocese, will together discern what gaps there may be in the individual’s development that may need to be filled prior to ordination and/or acceptance into the Diocese, which would then allow that person to function well in his/her new capacity, and which gaps there may be that need to be filled subsequent to his/her ordination and/or acceptance.

We do not wish to erect barriers to the Call of the Spirit of God. We wish to enhance the individual, so that he/she can more readily and easily function in that accredited role. The historical barriers of men-only, celibate-only, heterosexual-only, highly-educated-only, “litmus-test” orthodoxy as judged by others, etc. are all jettisoned here. We apply the practical standards seen in the Acts of the Apostles, in which the real, down-to-earth challenge of how to spread the Good News brought by Jesus, through people in whom the Spirit was already active, was considered and then acted upon.

Therefore, a person seeking to become ordained a deacon, priest or bishop within the Catholic Diocese of One Spirit should exemplify the following characteristics, in order to effectively communicate that message today. These are the signs of that Call from the Spirit:

——————————————————————————

Criteria for Diaconate/Priesthood

In the Catholic Diocese of One Spirit

(a) A prayer life that seeks to recognize God in every aspect of daily life … prayer being the awareness of the presence of God in whatever we might be doing.

(b) A love of people, reflecting the love that Jesus showed for all people and the dignity Jesus respected within them, and rejecting no individual or category of people (as was the lived-style of Jesus).

(c) Although the Diocese imposes no creedal or dogmatic litmus test on applicants, membership implies an understanding of the Body of Faith passed down from the time of Jesus.

(d) A demonstrated (not just hoped-for) desire for service to others through spiritual ministry.

(e) A psychological wellness and wholeness, which allows the individual to get along well with others and to be well accepted by them because of a positive personality.

(f) An education and level of knowledge commensurate with the people he or she is to serve.

(g) A degree of personal adequate financial sustainability without help from the Diocese.

(i) A demonstrated ability to be a positive influence on the community he or she will serve, and not a drainer of life or one who constantly stirs up problems.

(j) A positive thinker who calls others to recognize God’s love and does not burden them with guilt, beliefs in sinful nature, or debilitating personal reprimands.

(k) An articulate, pastoral promoter of contemporary theology and modern Christian concepts, as may be generally espoused by the Diocese.

(l) For priests and bishops, an ability to lead communal services with a command of language and insights, and an ability to bring life to liturgies without reading from a text or book.

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The Process

The Coordinating Bishop will appoint a Discernment Group Chairman and two other ordained members of the Diocese who will review the applications of those deacons, priests and bishops already ordained through apostolic succession and wishing to join the diocese, as well as those who wish to be presented for ordination or formation leading to ordination. The name of each aspirant and each person seeking incardination will need to be presented to this group for the discernment. This committee will review the scholastic records, the personality of the candidate in reference to the criteria for pastoral work, have a criminal background check performed, and review the candidate’s ministerial work to date, and assess, with him/her, the candidate’s suitability to the charism of our particular Diocese. The purpose of this review will be to begin the discernment with the candidate of his/her call to ministry and what voids, if any, need to be worked on prior to joining our Diocese.

When the Committee has finished its work for each individual applicant, it sends its recommendations for that applicant to the Formation Director, who then works with the candidate to create an educational, ministerial and spiritual program. The Formation Director will also appoint a mentor for that candidate, in consultation with the candidate, which mentor will work with the candidate in all realms of formation. When that candidate is ready for ordination or for incorporation into the Diocese, he/she will be presented by the mentor and the Formation Director to the bishop within the diocese who sponsored him/her, or to the Coordinating Bishop.

It is anticipated that there will be many cases where the individual is as prepared and ready for either ordination or (in the case of those already ordained) admission to the Diocese as an already-ordained deacon, priest or bishop. In such cases, the applicant is sent directly back to the bishop for incorporation or ordination within the diocese.

Each ordained person joining the Diocese must sign the Code of Ministerial Conduct of the Catholic Diocese of One Spirit (Appendix 1).

XII. Abuses

Generally we do not enter the personal life of the members of the Diocese, with the exception of abuses; be they emotional, physical or sexual. In a case where there is an accusation that seems to be valid, the mentor of this person must immediately form a group to investigate the circumstances and help the people involved. If, after an initial investigation, it appears that the accusations might reasonably be valid, the person suspected of such perpetration will be immediately suspended. A thorough investigation will be made by the person’s mentor or bishop and the Committee to determine the validity of the accusation. A final decision will be made by the person’s bishop.

The position of our Church on the subject of a pattern of abuse is zero tolerance. It should be noted, in this context, that the lived Christian life is one of renewal and conversion. There will be those who fail in the highly-visible faults of sexuality and who then realize their faults and change through the grace of God. Those individuals the Diocese must welcome back to ministry with open arms, making certain, however, that the individual does not place himself/herself in – and is not recognized by the Diocese for ministry within – circumstances that can either induce failings as before, or will appear that way to the general public and thus scandalize them. For one whose ministry is by nature public, there should be no appearance of impropriety.

XIII. The Legal Structure

The Catholic Diocese of One Spirit is a voluntary organization of progressive and spiritually-minded persons, operating in the spiritual structure of Catholic/Christian dioceses of the early church, and without any legal structures, which was also a characteristic of those early dioceses. The Diocese neither appoints its ordained ministers to assignments nor pays them any financial rewards whatsoever. Rather, each ordained minister chooses his/her ministry, and is helped in that ministry by other ordained and not-ordained people who choose freely to join with him/her. Likewise, the Diocese pays no salary or fees to the ordained minister, but rather that minister derives his/her own income from individual jobs and work. The commitment of individual deacons, priests and bishops to their work and to the Diocese is based on the mutuality of their spiritual perspectives and vision of ministry with the other members of the Diocese, and not on legal binds.

The Diocese is supported by the Institute for Catholic Contemporary Spirituality, Inc. (“ICCS”), insofar as ICCS chooses and is able. ICCS is a completely separate entity, and was incorporated in the Commonwealth of Virginia, USA, on November 29, 1999 by James H. Burch. It has remained a viable non-profit corporation ever since. ICCS has chosen to support the work of the Diocese whenever it can, and has the capacity to direct donations made to ICCS for the benefit of the Diocese or individual ministries within the Diocese. ICCS may also sponsor other charitable activities besides the Diocese.

ICCS was recognized as being exempt from federal income tax under section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code as an organization described in section 501(c)(3). Donations to ICCS are tax exempt.